491 INVITED pool nearly halves as WA opens its doors wide in July 2026

Headlines

The headline number for July 2026 is the 491 pool: it nearly halved, shrinking from 11,853 to 6,466 EOIs in the INVITED state — a drop of 5,387 (45%). That is the single largest proportional fall across all three subclasses this month and dwarfs anything seen at the state level. As a reminder, these counts are point-in-time snapshots of valid EOIs sitting in the INVITED state as at 31 July 2026. A month-over-month fall can reflect EOIs progressing to LODGED, new rounds not yet running, or older EOIs dropping off the rolling 24-month window — and likely some combination of all three. For context from last month's snapshot, the 491 pool was already elevated.

The 190 pool also fell sharply (16,929 → 10,952, ↓ 5,977, -35%), and the 189 pool dropped from 9,578 to 6,948 (↓ 2,630, -27%). Every subclass moved in the same direction, but the 491's near-halving stands out.

State breakdown — 190 INVITED EOIs

The two most notable state-level moves in the 190 pool are SA and Tasmania pulling in opposite directions. SA's pool nearly halved (2,389 → 1,240, down 48%), the steepest proportional fall of any state. Tasmania was the only state to record a rise — its 190 INVITED pool grew from 1,070 to 1,226 (up 15%), a meaningful increase at a time when every other state contracted.

WA remains the largest single-state 190 pool at 2,147 EOIs, down from 3,051 (↓ 904, -30%). NSW, VIC, QLD, NT, and ACT all fell materially — ranging from a 26% drop in NSW (2,440 → 1,613) to a 52% drop in NT (1,080 → 520). Drill into the per-state occupation cuts in the dashboard.

In the 491 pool, SA saw the sharpest fall of any state (1,710 → 690, down 60%), while NSW and VIC both fell by roughly 53%. NT dropped from 1,780 to 830 (↓ 53%). WA held the largest 491 pool at 1,106 EOIs.

Top occupations on the 190 and 491

On the 190, Registered Nurses nec MLTSSL held the top spot (497 EOIs in INVITED, down from 739), and Carpenter MLTSSL stayed second (469, down from 615). The most striking occupational movement is Agricultural Consultant MLTSSL, which jumped from rank 13 to rank 5 on the 190 (270 EOIs, up from 240). Medical Laboratory Scientist MLTSSL also moved up, from rank 10 to rank 6 (260 EOIs, unchanged in count). Two occupations that slipped notably: Social Worker MLTSSL fell from rank 4 to rank 8, and General Practitioner MLTSSL dropped from rank 6 to rank 7.

On the 491, Secondary School Teacher MLTSSL took the top spot (310 EOIs), displacing Carpenter which fell to second (276, down from 418). Agricultural Consultant MLTSSL jumped from rank 8 to rank 3 (230 EOIs). Mining Engineer (excluding Petroleum) MLTSSL broke into the top 10 at rank 10 (150 EOIs), up from rank 22 last month — a signal worth watching given WA's mining-sector occupation additions.

WA's sweeping list expansion from 4 June

The most significant structural change in this snapshot is Western Australia's occupation list update, effective 4 June 2026. WA added well over 150 occupations to its 190 nomination list and a similarly large set to its 491 list in a single update. The additions span an extraordinarily broad range, covering:

• Health and medicine: Nurses (ANZSCO group 2544, including Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator and Midwife), the full 2533 specialist physicians group (Cardiologist, Neurologist, Paediatrician and more), and the complete 2535 surgical specialties group.
• Engineering and mining: The full ANZSCO 2335 mechanical engineering group, 2336 mining/petroleum engineers, Electrical Engineer, Electronics Engineer, and multiple engineering technologist codes under 2339.
• ICT: The 2611–2633 software and applications programmers, network/systems engineers, and support engineer groups — including Software Engineer, ICT Security Specialist, and Database Administrator.
• Trades: Automotive mechanics (3212), metal fabricators and welders (3223), aircraft maintenance engineers (3231), plumbing trades (3341), and electrical/electronic trades (3423).
• Community services and legal: The 4117 welfare support worker group (including Community Worker, Disabilities Services Officer), all psychologist specialties (2723), Solicitor, and Barrister.
• Agribusiness: A wide spread of farming and agricultural science occupations including Aquaculture Farmer, multiple livestock and crop farmer codes, and Agricultural Consultant.

The 491 additions are similarly broad and also include occupations not on the 190 list, such as Aeroplane Pilot, Dentist, Anaesthetist, and Property Manager.

WA also removed two occupations from its 190 list effective the same date: Floor Finisher and Maintenance Planner.

This is a genuine and substantial list expansion. Applicants in the added occupations should check WA's current nomination requirements — meeting list eligibility is necessary but not sufficient for nomination.

Processing time update

The 190 median processing time improved from 14 months to 13 months, effective 26 June 2026. The p75 also tightened from 16 months to 15 months — meaning three quarters of 190 applicants are now granted within 15 months of applying. The 189 and 491 processing time figures remain unavailable.

What to watch

Agricultural Consultant jumped from rank 13 to rank 5 on the 190 and rank 8 to rank 3 on the 491 this month — without a meaningful change in its invited count. That suggests the broader compression across other occupations is pushing it up by contrast. If WA's agricultural and agribusiness additions (including the full 1212 and 1213 crop and livestock farmer groups on the 491) attract new EOIs, Agricultural Consultant's rank could move materially in either direction next month.

Common questions

Why did the 491 INVITED pool nearly halve in July 2026?

The 491 INVITED pool fell from 11,853 to 6,466 EOIs as at 31 July 2026 — a drop of 5,387 (45%). This is a point-in-time snapshot, not a count of new invitations issued, so the fall reflects a combination of factors: EOIs progressing from INVITED to LODGED status, any quieter invitation rounds during the period, and older EOIs dropping off the rolling 24-month window. All three subclasses fell this month, but the 491 saw the steepest proportional decline.

Does this month's drop in INVITED EOIs mean cutoffs are rising?

Not necessarily. A smaller INVITED pool can mean fewer EOIs are being held at that stage, which may reflect increased lodgement activity rather than tightening points cutoffs. The LODGED counts — 51,580 for the 491 and 56,832 for the 190 — remain large, indicating a substantial queue behind the invited pool. Actual cutoff points depend on the mix of occupations and states in each invitation round.

What does WA's 4 June occupation list update mean for my 190 application?

WA added more than 150 occupations to its 190 nomination list and a similarly large number to its 491 list, effective 4 June 2026. If your occupation is newly listed, WA is now a pathway that may not have been available to you before. However, being on the list does not guarantee nomination — WA issues nominations subject to its own criteria, caps, and assessment processes. Check WA's official state migration website for current requirements.

Why did Tasmania's 190 pool grow while every other state fell?

Tasmania's 190 INVITED pool rose from 1,070 to 1,226 (up 156, +15%), bucking the national trend. This likely reflects Tasmania continuing to run nomination rounds or issue nominations at a rate that outpaced the drawdown of its existing INVITED pool. It does not mean Tasmania loosened its criteria — it means the net balance of EOIs entering and leaving the INVITED state was positive for Tasmania this month.

How long does the 190 visa take to be granted after an invitation?

Based on the latest processing time data (updated 26 June 2026), the median grant time for the 190 is 13 months, and three quarters of applicants are granted within 15 months. These figures cover the full application process from lodgement to grant and can vary significantly depending on individual circumstances, document readiness, and health and character check complexity.

This post was generated from the latest SkillSelect snapshot. Explore the same data in the dashboard.